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I don’t really know what to say in this post. I feel so frustrated that in this current society, we have to fight to let our children have a childhood. When did it become the norm to steal that from them?

When did it stop becoming okay for a child to spend the day in the woods, up to their elbows in mud and dreams? When did we become so concerned with keeping up that we stopped having time to lie on the ground and look up at the stars?

Our family decided together that we would stop rushing. We decided that we would take time to learn what we loved and spend time in the woods and the water, being quiet. We have never been happier, or had so many interesting things to learn and do. I have been stunned, however, at the resistance I have felt from others…many people feel that I have taken something away from my children, and they are constantly trying to help me see the light.

Our society is so worried about turning out “well-rounded,” “accomplished” children that we have stolen their quiet from them. Our world rushes them from one thing to the next, never stopping to think that the rush might just be the reason they seem sad or unable to imagine anything anymore, needing ever-more constant input and instruction from us.

Childhood is a gift. It comes once. It is a time of discovery and learning and unbounded potential. We’ve learned that quiet, loose, unstructured time is necessary to enable kids to put the pieces together themselves. Let’s trust them and give their childhood back to them.

About me

Welcome! I’m Ann. I’m blessed with one amazing husband and six incredible daughters. We have embraced unschooling, and this is a place to collect and share our thoughts with others who may be interested in a more natural way of learning for their family.